I
always think of Jesus quietening the storm on the sea as He walked out
to the disapiles (sorry can't spell today) and I think how that storm
was designed for them that day to teach them and me, that He has it all
beneath his feet, whenever the stroms in my life seem to be beating me
down, and now from reading you here I can take His victory as my own and
know that I can prevail as He did and does and these battles are
already won on Calvery, no before, since the begining and claiming that
victory in my life makes the battle seem not so daunting but won already
and I can live and walk in that victory, whether I live or die is of
little consequense, as it is in His hands and not mine. With every
breath I take it is by permission. Now to train my mind as to what my
heart and lungs have known all of my life.
Thanks Poppy... i
have quoted these prayers in the psalms for 20 yrs. I consider them my
prayer language. I know what Psalm to apply in a given situation. But
this experience with other people has been very strange to me. Because i
am naturally a very passive person. I do not go out of my way to be the
center of attention. And when i get into a group and try to explain
these things then the fire works start. But in some ways my timidity has
been overcome by what happens to me after i begin to pray these
different Psalms. I havent met a person in my life who has experience
the dramatic effect these prayers make in a persons soul. I just
consider it a gift so i dont get upset about the misunderstanding i have
with other people. But the importunity of these prayers is just beyond
human. I have concluded that God wants us to fight and scratch in
presenting our request before Him. He loves to hear us pray with passion
and a sense that we will not let go unto we see our prayers answered. I
have prayed things that i could not possibly identify because of this
American culture. Because these prayers produce the effect of grace as
well as the sense of it. There is a big difference between simple
knowledge of grace and the application of that grace in what God tells
us that we can obtain from Him with boldness. Maybe one day i will
explain what the apostle is teaching about this boldness. I can only say
that every human emotion. Even the emotions that our society after
about 200 yrs has repressed in an effort to make religion look like a
kind of luxury car with all the bells and whistles that you drive around
in. Kind of quiet and not invasive. Kind of like a time where you go to
the beach and listen to the waves crashing in on the shore and you go
and collect sea shells and marvel at Gods work. Just an exercise of the
mind and you get those little goose bumps ... lol... The Psalms are
a private approach to a God that is mysterious and dangerous. We are
taught to do and say things in private that we would not do in the
public. The reason for this is they create the natural longings of a
soul and then they enforce a sense of boldness that produces an approach
to God that gets more bold as we speak these arguments to Him. We begin
to lose a sense of time. What people do not understand is there is a
big difference between studying these Psalms and actually implementing
the very arguments as tools to obtain the promises. Not that we do not
already have all the promises but its obtaining your just causes both in
blessing and destruction. We actually are taught to create the
situation and argue for our cause. I cant put this into words because
this is nothing short of supernaturalism in experience. The psalms
massage your soul with this distinctive timeless reality. You think God
is like that but that was what you thought He was like... and you think
you are like that but that was what you thought you were... s
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2587
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Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Reformed Doctrine
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on: April 26, 2011, 01:01:34 PM
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"The Law is for the proud and the Gospel for the brokenhearted." - Martin Luther
“Ignorance
of the distinction between the Law and Gospel is one of the principle
sources of all the abuses which corrupt and still corrupt Christianity.”
–Theodore Beza.
"When God gives orders and tells us what
will happen if we fail to obey those orders perfectly, that is in the
category of what the reformers, following the biblical text, called law.
When God promises freely, providing for us because of Christ's
righteousness the status he demands of us, this is in the category of
gospel. It is good news from start to finish. The Bible includes both,
and the reformers were agreed that the Scriptures taught clearly that
the law, whether Old or New Testament commands, was not eliminated for
the believer (those from a Dispensational background may notice a
difference here). Nevertheless, they insisted that nothing in this
category of law could be a means of justification or acceptance before a
holy God ... The law comes, not to reform the sinner nor to show him or
her the "narrow way" to life, but to crush the sinner's hopes of
escaping God's wrath through personal effort or even cooperation. All of
our righteousness must come from someone else-someone who has fulfilled
the law's demands. Only after we have been stripped of our "filthy
rags" of righteousness (Isa. 64:6)- our fig leaves through which we try
in vain to hide our guilt and shame-can we be clothed with Christ's
righteousness. First comes the law to proclaim judgment and death, then
the gospel to proclaim justification and life. One of the clearest
presentations of this motif is found in Paul's Epistle to the Galatians.
In the sixteenth century, the issue of law and grace was more clearly
dealt with than at almost any other time since the apostles."
Modern Reformation Good News: The Gospel for Christians (May/June 2003)
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2589
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Members Only / Purgatory / Re: Taking Heaven By Force
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on: April 26, 2011, 06:55:25 AM
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Jeremiah 31
3 The LORD appeared to us in the past,[a] saying:
“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.
4 I will build you up again,
and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt.
Again you will take up your timbrels
and go out to dance with the joyful.
5 Again you will plant vineyards
on the hills of Samaria;
the farmers will plant them
and enjoy their fruit.
6 There will be a day when watchmen cry out
on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Zion,
to the LORD our God.’”
7 This is what the LORD says:
“Sing with joy for Jacob;
shout for the foremost of the nations.
Make your praises heard, and say,
‘LORD, save your people,
the remnant of Israel.’
8 See, I will bring them from the land of the north
and gather them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind and the lame,
expectant mothers and women in labor;
a great throng will return.
9 They will come with weeping;
they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead them beside streams of water
on a level path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father,
and Ephraim is my firstborn son.
10 “Hear the word of the LORD, you nations;
proclaim it in distant coastlands:
‘He who scattered Israel will gather them
and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’
11 For the LORD will deliver Jacob
and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they.
12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion;
they will rejoice in the bounty of the LORD—
the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,
the young of the flocks and herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden,
and they will sorrow no more.
13 Then young women will dance and be glad,
young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into gladness;
I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.
14 I will satisfy the priests with abundance,
and my people will be filled with my bounty,”
declares the LORD.
15 This is what the LORD says:
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
mourning and great weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”
16 This is what the LORD says:
“Restrain your voice from weeping
and your eyes from tears,
for your work will be rewarded,”
declares the LORD.
“They will return from the land of the enemy.
17 So there is hope for your descendants,”
declares the LORD.
“Your children will return to their own land.
18 “I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning:
‘You disciplined me like an unruly calf,
and I have been disciplined.
Restore me, and I will return,
because you are the LORD my God.
19 After I strayed,
I repented;
after I came to understand,
I beat my breast.
I was ashamed and humiliated
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’
20 Is not Ephraim my dear son,
the child in whom I delight?
Though I often speak against him,
I still remember him.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
I have great compassion for him,”
declares the LORD.
21 “Set up road signs;
put up guideposts.
Take note of the highway,
the road that you take.
Return, Virgin Israel,
return to your towns.
22 How long will you wander,
unfaithful Daughter Israel?
The LORD will create a new thing on earth—
the woman will return to the man.” ........
33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the LORD.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
34 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the LORD.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”
This chapt is exactly what i wrote above. Your wrong.
It
does not say that God will do it through the law through a saint. It
promises that God will perform in a decreeing way. God promises to be
faithful.
The law has always been written on our hearts. What he is
saying here is that the Holy Spirit will come in an indwelling way and
be the only teacher we need. He is not saying that Christ will perform
through us! He is saying we have a indwelling teacher who will cause us
to walk in His ways. But that does not mean we will not sin! The old
covenants were the same promises but the difference was the sending of
the Spirit in a different way in the new one.
He is also
talking about this. Luke 24 46 He told them, “This is what is written:
The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and
repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to
all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my
Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed
with power from on high.”
Sir .. your way is not even orthodox
in any history of Christianity. ot or nt...... This is the distinction
of the new covenant. In the old covenant they had to go through the
ritual to enjoy the covenant promises. But they failed to obey the old
covenant. 32 It will not be like the covenant
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to[d] them,[e]”
declares the LORD.
The
nation of Israel was unfaithful but there was always a remnant within
the Nation who remained faithful. If you go to Romans the apostle lays
this out in His argument for Gods absolute sovereignty in His choosing
the vessel.
Here in Luke there is a new message of repentance.
Its no longer tied to a ritual but repentance is preached in Christ. Or
its just trusting in Christ. That means that former sins are forgotten
the moment one places His trust in Christ. Its always been this way even
in the Old but instead of forgiveness being tied to an animal Christ
obtained it so that we enjoy forgiveness in a more profound way. There
is no other work to be done. There is no other plea for goodness other
than Christ righteousness imputed to our account! God does not mesh our
obedience with Christ obedience... that is heresy...your taking this out
of context again..... let me say this again cause you seem to be thick
between the ears.... that is heresy. God looks at real obedience
performed by Christ in His coming the first time and suffering....
dieing and now is our only mediator... not any other man... not any
other reason. The only reason we are accepted is from Christ who did it
on our behalf!
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2590
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Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Reformed Doctrine
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on: April 25, 2011, 04:37:18 PM
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irresistible grace
The Bible "locates
unbelief in the total inability of sinners to effect their own
liberation from the bondage of the will, and ... locate faith in the
unconditional election, redemption, and effectual calling of the triune
God alone. God gives not only sufficient grace (that is, enough grace to
enable sinners to respond positively to God if they choose to do so),
but efficient grace (that is, regeneration as well as faith and
repentance as gifts)."
- Michael Horton The Christian Faith, pg. 562
Regeneration
is a secret act of God in which he imparts new spiritual life to us. As
the gospel comes to us, God speaks through it to summon us to himself
(effective calling) and to give us new spiritual life (regeneration) so
that we are enabled to respond in faith. Effective calling is thus God
that Father speaking powerfully to us, and regeneration is God that
Father and God the Holy Spirit working powerfully in us, to make us
alive.
Sometimes the term irresistible grace is used in this
connection. It refers to the fact that God effectively calls people and
also gives them regeneration, and both actions guarantee that we will
respond in saving faith. The term irresistible grace is subject to
misunderstanding, however, since it seems to imply that people do not
make a voluntary choice in responding to the gospel - a wrong idea, and a
wrong understanding of the term irresistible grace. The term does
preserve something valuable, however, because it indicates that God's
work reaches into our hearts to bring about a response that is
absolutely certain - even tough we respond voluntarily.
Wayne Grudem from Systematic Theology (pg. 699)
“You
stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist
the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you” (Acts 7:51). This
passage, which is often used in an attempt to refute the biblical
doctrine of irresistible grace, actually supports it. Notice the
condition of the persons who are doing the resisting: their hearts and
ears are uncircumcised, which is the Bible's way of saying they are
unregenerate or unspiritual. A person in this condition will always
resist the outward call of the gospel. The Holy Spirit may convict them
of sin and work to show them their need to Christ, but as long as they
remain unregenerate, their hearts will remain closed to Christ.
Irresistible grace does not mean that whenever the Spirit works He is
irresistible. Rather, it means that while His promptings are always
resisted by the dead in sin, He can make the gospel irresistible when He
opens their spiritually blind eyes, when he opens their deaf ears and
turns their heart of stone to a heart of flesh. He quickens us while we
are dead, which is no work of man. As Ephesians 2:5 says, “Even when we
were dead in our trespasses, [He] made us alive together with Christ--by
grace you have been saved.”
Monergism.com
All that the Father
gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no
means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will,
but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who
sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should
raise it up at the last day...No man can come to me, except the Father
which hath sent me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:37-39 and 44
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2594
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Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Martin Luther ... Short Treatise On the Prayer Life
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on: April 24, 2011, 07:45:53 PM
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OUR FIRST PRIORITY
Luther recommended a
set time for personal devotions, early morning or at night, and warned
against postponing them for any “more urgent business.”
FLINT FOR THE FLAMES
He
thought that one should see The Ten Commandments as a school textbook, a
songbook, a penitential book, and as a prayer book. He advised that
that one take The Ten Commandments as one’s structure for prayer on one
day, a Psalm or a chapter of the Holy Scripture for another day, and use
them “as flint and steel to kindle a flame in the heart.”
PRAYING THE LORD’S PRAYER
“A
Simple Way To Pray” gives some examples of the intercessions Luther was
inspired to pray on the basis of The Lord’s Prayer: “Hallowed be Thy
Name. Yes, Lord God, dear Father, Hallowed be Your Name, both in us and
throughout the whole world. Destroy and root out the abominations,
idolatry and heresy of all false teachers and fanatics who wrongly use
Your Name and in scandalous ways take it in vain and horribly blaspheme
it…Dear Lord God, convert and restrain them… restrain those who are
unwilling to be converted so that they may be forced to cease from
misusing, defiling and dishonoring Your Holy Name and for misleading the
poor people. Amen.
“Thy Kingdom Come. O dear Lord, God and
Father, convert them and defend us… so that they with us and we with
them may serve You and Your Kingdom in true faith and unfeigned love and
that from Your Kingdom which has begun, we may enter into Your eternal
Kingdom. Defend us against those who will not turn away their might and
power for the destruction of Your Kingdom so that when they are cast
down from their thrones and humbled, they will have to cease from their
efforts. Amen.
“Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. O
dear Lord, God and Father, You know that the world, if it cannot destroy
Your Name or root our Your Kingdom, is busy day and night with wicked
tricks and schemes, strange conspiracies and intrigues, huddled together
in secret counsel, giving mutual encouragement and support, raging and
threatening and going about with every evil intention to destroy Your
Name, Word, Kingdom and children… for Your sake gladly, patiently and
joyously enable us to bear every evil, cross and adversity, and thereby
acknowledge, test and experience Your benign, gracious and perfect Will…
“Give
us this day our daily bread. Protect us against war and disorder. Grant
to all rulers’ good counsel and a will to preserve their subjects in
tranquility and justice. O God, grant that all people be diligent and
display charity and loyalty towards each other. Give us favourable
weather and good harvests…
“Forgive us our trespasses as we
forgive those who trespass against us. O dear Lord, God and Father,
enter not into judgment against us because no person living is justified
before You. Do not counter it against us as a sin that we are so
unthankful for Your ineffable goodness, spiritual and physical, with
that we stray so many times each day. Do not look upon how good or how
wicked we have been but only upon the infinite compassion, which You
have bestowed upon us in Christ, Your dear Son. Amen. Also, grant
forgiveness to those who have harmed or wronged us, as we forgive them
from our hearts…we would much rather that they be saved with us. Amen
“Lead
us not into temptation. Keep us fit and alert, eager and diligent in
Your Word and service, so that we do not become complacent, lazy and
slothful as though we had already achieved everything. In that way the
fearful devil cannot fall upon us, surprise us and deprive us from of
Your precious Word or store up strife and factions among us and lead us
into other sin and disgrace…
“And deliver us from evil. This
wretched life is so full of misery and calamity, of danger and
uncertainty, so full of malice and faithlessness… but You, dear Father,
know our frailty. Therefore help us to pass safety through so much
wickedness and villainy…”
Mighty prayer of Luther
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2595
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Forums / Theology Forum / Re: Reformed Doctrine
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on: April 24, 2011, 04:36:18 PM
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A Definition of Legalism
1. Using the Mosaic covenant as though it is the covenant between you and God.
2. Attempting to be justified by one's own works.
3. Attempting to be sanctified by one's own works
4. Suggesting that our worth or worthlessness, our self-esteem and self-satisfaction or lack thereof, rest on our own works.
5.
Any attempt to please God judicially, or any supposition that our sin
as believers has resulted in his judicial displeasure. [Any
post-salvation attempt to maintain our judicial standing before God
through good works, covenant faithfulness, merit etc..]
6. Teaching that we conform ourselves to our judicial standing in Christ (righteous and perfect) by our own works.
7. Attempting to attain godliness by a systematic change of behavior
8. Obedience that does not spring from a renewed heart
a. As of an unbeliever who has no renewed heart
b. As of a believer who has a renewed heart but whose righteous behavior does not spring therefrom.
9. Any supposition that externally righteous acts have any value on their own, even as conduct that prepares the way for either
a. A renewed heart (preparationism as regards justification),
b.
The softening or further renewing of an already renewed heart
(preparationism as regards sanctification. Note Romans
12:2-Transformation occurs through the renewing of the mind), or
c. Any other work of the Spirit.
10. Suggesting that faith is irrelevant in the accomplishment of some (or all) good works.
11. Trying to be justified by works that are created and inspired by the Holy Spirit.
12. Attempting to gain assurance of salvation solely or primarily on the basis of the sign of outward works.
- Bill Baldwin
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o they
convert your eyes to open ... kind of like creating a new moment in time
out of the box.
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